Combined mail box and milk-bottle holder



Oct. 12 1926.

J. ANANIA COMBINED MAIL- BOX AND MILK BOTTLE HOLDER Filed May 14. 1925 FIG. 2..

FIG. 1

Id Zln U: Jim IJ Patented Oct. 12, 1926.

UNITED STATES JOSEPH ANANIA, 0F MOKEESPORT, PENNSYLVANIA COMBINED MAIL BOX AND MILK-BOTTLE HOLDER.

Application filed May 14, 1925. Serial No. 30,227.

. This invention relates to ,certain new and useful improvements in a combined mail box and milk bottle holder and has for its primary object to provide a mailbox construction having the bottom wall thereof designed for supporting a milk bottle by the beaded neck thereof and so retaining the same against unauthorized removal without first opening the mail box door to effectthe release of locking devices.

A further object of the invention is to provide a combined mail box and milk bottle holder wherein a pair of tensioned milk bottle supporting 'platesare slidable upon the bottom wall of the mail box with a latch device operated by the bottle during the positioning thereof in the holder to hold the bottle supporting plates immovable with the bottle lockingly retained in the holder.

With the above general objects in view and others that will become apparent as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists of the novel form, combination, and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawing and claimed.

In the drawing, 'wherein like reference characters designate like parts throughout the same,

Figure 1 1s a front elevational vlew, partly in section of a'combined mail box and milk bottle holder constructed in accordance with the present invention, a bottle being illustrated as lockingly retained in the holder,

Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional view showing the tensioned bottle supporting plates in their closed positions,

Figure 3 is a. horizontal sectional view showing one of the bottle supporting plates shifted to its releasing position,

Figure 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional View of the lower end of the box and the milk bottle holder and locking devices associated therewith, and

Figure 5 is a top plan view of a part of the bottle retaining mechanism.

Referring more in detail to the accompanying drawing, the reference numeral 1 designates a mail box provided with the usual mail entrance openings and guards, access to the box being had through the locked door 2 as shown in Fig. 1. The box 1 is provided with a flat bottom wall 3 and a false bottom 4 spaced slightly thereabove as illustrated.

.A circular opening of a diameter slightly .8 and 9 flatlyengaging the upper face of the bottom wall 3 of the box, the plates 8 and 9 being guided in their movements by the side cleats 10 shown more clearly in Figs. 2 and 3, the plate 8 carrying struck-up lugs 11 that hold the plate8 against movement when the plate 9 is shifted, in a manner to be presently described for the purpose of removing the bottle 6 from the holder.

Coil springs 12 associated with the plates 8 and 9 retain the same in resilient engagement with each other as illustrated. The

adjacent edges of the plates 8 and 9 are pro-- vided with registering semi-circular openings, the walls of which openings carry upwardly and inwardly directed flanges 13 that engage the neck of the bottlel6 beneath the bead 5 to support the bottle as shownin Fig. 1. The flanges 13 tapering inwardly and upwardly are separatedduring the insertion of the milk'bottle and the coil springs 12 effect the closing of the plates 8fan'd 9 with theflanges -13 engagingthe bottle neck beneath the bead.

In order to lock the plates 8 and 9 against movement and to hold the bottle 6 against unauthorized removal, a latch device rendered operative upon the insertion of a bottle includes a disk plate 14 pivotally mounted as at 15 upon a lug 16 depending from the false bottom 4-, with the disk plate overlying the opening in the bottom wall 3' of the box and disposed above the flanges 13 of the plates 8 and 9. An arm 17 projects from the disk plate 14 and is bifurcated at its outer end as at 18 for pivotally receiving a latch 19 that is tensioned as at 20.

The bottle supporting plates 8 and 9 normally assume the positions shown in Fig. 2 with the upper edges of the flanges 13 lying above the opening in the bottom wall 3 of the box while the bottle lockingand retaining mechanism is only accessible inte riorly of the box 11 on openin the ke locked door 2. A. be tie is more upwardiy and guided by the guard 7 with the head 5 at the upper end of the bottle engaging the plate flanges to separate the same against the tension of the springs 12. Simultaneously with this movement, the upper end of the bottle engages the disk plate 14 to move the same upwardly upon its pivotal mounting 15 for lowering the arm 17 and the tensioned latch 19 pivotally supported at the outer end thereof for lowering the operative end 19 of the latch th the full line position shown in Fig. 1, in engagement with the bottom Wall 3 of the box and in the path of movement of the plate 9. The plates are so retained against movement and the bottle 6 is lockingly retained in the holder. The plate 9 carries a pair of upwardly directed arms 21 that inclose the arms 17 and project upwardly through the slotted opening 22 in the false bottom t and when it is desired to remove the bottle from the holder, the locked door 2 is opened, which permits access to the arms 21. The upper end of the latch 19 also extends through the slotted opening 22 and upon manually shifting the latch 19 to the dotted line position shown in Fig. l and out of the path of movement of the, plate 9, the arms 21 are operated for shifting the plate 9, and upon a slight tilting of the bottle 6, the same is readily disengaged .from the flanges 13 of the plates 8 and 9. Vith the latch 19 in the full line position shown in Fig. 1, it is impossible to .shift the plate 9 upon the insertion of an q instrument between the bottle 6 and the guard 7, and the bottle can only be removed by disengaging the latch from the plate 9 when the do'or 2 has been unlocked and opened.

What is claimed is: V V

1. In a combined mail box and milk bottle holder, a be): having an opening in the bottom wall thereof, a pair of bottle neck engaging plates slidable on the bottom with the bottle engaging portions thereof overlying the opening, a pivotally supported disk overlying the opening, a lever arm carried by the disk, and a teiisioned latch at the outer end of the lever arm adapted to be moved into the path of movement of one of i the plates when the disk is engaged by a bottle and elevated.

2. In a combined mail box and milk bottle holder, a box having an opening ,in the bottom wall thereof, a pair of bottle neck ongaging plates slidable on the bottom with the bottle engaging portions thereof overlying the opening, a pivotally supported disk overlying the opening, a lever arm carried by the disk, a tensioned latch at the outer end of the lever arm adapted to be moved into the path of movement of one of the plates when the disk is engaged by a bottle and elevated, spring connections between the plates. and means for limiting movement of one of the plates in one direction.

3. In a combined mail box and milk bottle holder, a box having an opening in the bottom wall thereof, a pair of bottle neck engaging plates slidable on the bottom with the bottle engaging portions thereof overlying the opening, a pivotally supported disk overlying the opening, a lever arm carried by the disk, a tensioned latch at the outer end of the lever arm adapted to be moved into the path of movement of one of the plates when the disk is engaged by a bottle and elevated, spring connections between the plates, means for limiting movement of one of the plates in one direction, an extension on the latch to effect manual release thereof and an operating arm for one of the plates.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

JOSEPH ANANI'A. 

